Drinking alcohol has become a part of people's social lives. While drinking in moderation has some health benefits, the excessive consumption of alcohol does more harm than good. In particular, one of the organs that suffer from excessive alcohol consumption is the liver, which plays a role in many processes in the body. Every time the liver filters alcohol, some of its cells die.
Limit your alcohol consumption, or avoid it altogether: Liver damage caused by excessive alcohol consumption can be reversed if you limit or stop drinking alcohol. Experts recommend drinking no more than a glass of alcohol each day for women and two glasses for men.
Drink moderate amounts of coffee: Many studies have reported that caffeinated coffee may help reduce the risk of liver disease by up to 70 percent. It may help also protect against alcohol-related liver cirrhosis. A study found that drinking a cup of coffee a day may lower the risk of developing cirrhosis by 22 percent, while drinking four cups a day may reduce the risk by as much as 65 percent. The researchers believe that this benefit may be because of coffee's anti-inflammatory properties. (Related: Study- Drink Coffee To Reverse Liver Damage Caused By Alcohol.)
Cleanse your body naturally: You can eliminate toxins, reduce inflammation, and keep your liver and kidneys healthy by following a healthy diet. Instead of drinking sugary drinks, try going for green tea or water. Green tea contains antioxidants that remove damaging oxidizing agents in the body. You can also start taking turmeric and ginger, as well as increase your consumption of cruciferous vegetables, such as Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, and kale. These vegetables contain chemical compounds that help the liver break down chemicals and hormones. There are also many herbs that can help cleanse the liver. These include borututu bark, chanca piedra, chicory root, dandelion root, greater celandine, milk thistle seed, organic turmeric, organic yellow dock root, and peppermint.
Avoid other things that can harm the liver: Alcohol isn't the only risk factor for liver damage: Living a sedentary lifestyle and following an unhealthy diet can cause fat to accumulate around the liver. This, in turn, can result in liver disease -- even if you don't drink. Intravenous and intranasal drugs can also transmit hepatitis C and put your life at risk. Instead, try practicing a healthy lifestyle, which includes eating in moderation and exercising regularly.
Ask for help: If you -- or someone you know -- are addicted to alcohol, it's better to get help from health experts to better understand your situation. Getting help also allows you to detox your liver safely and prevent any adverse symptoms of alcohol withdrawal. Hangover-prevention products are one-size-fits-all, which can be a problem because everyone reacts differently to stressors, toxins and other factors that contribute to alcohol addiction. Therefore, your efforts to keep your liver healthy should be aligned with your lifestyle, genetic risk factors and blood work that can detect how deep into liver damage you are.
The liver is the most complex organ in the body. It's responsible for filtering out toxins, helping with digestion, controlling blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and helping fight infection and disease -- to name just a few. Taking good care of it an essential step in maintaining good health.
Read more news stories and studies on natural ways to heal the liver by going to NaturalMedicine.news.